Field of the Invention
This technology relates generally to weighing systems for espresso or other coffee grounds. More specifically, the preferred embodiments relate to systems for connection to, or use with, a bean grinding machine, that conveniently support an espresso portafilter hands-free, and that also very accurately weigh the portafilter containing espresso coffee grounds.
Related Art
Coffee bean grinders and espresso portafilter apparatus and methods are known, with examples being described in PCT/US2011/31260 and PCT/US2011/45507, which documents are both incorporated in their entirety by this reference. Accuracy of weighing espresso grounds is extremely important to many baristas and their customers, and this is an area of espresso technology that has been problematic. Baristas tend to repeatedly tap the portafilter to settle the grounds inside the cup. Many baristas perform a process, of repeated tapping, filling, and weighing the portafilter with its contained grounds, multiple times to optimize the amount and packing of the grounds in order to optimize espresso making process and flavor. Typically, however, the scale is distant from the grinder, for example, several feet away, so these processes require repeated transport of the portafilter from the grinder to the scale and back. Also, the scale is prone to being bumped and moved, and frequently does not remain accurate even if it is a quality scale to start. If the barista taps the portafilter against the scale, damage to, and inaccuracy of, the scale is accelerated. Also, the barista must hold the portafilter handle the entire time the portafilter is being filled, because the basket only is supported under the grinder outlet, for example, by a conventional support fork. The conventional grinding and weighing process is therefore slow, cumbersome, messy, and/or inaccurate.
Many baristas' perform said tapping of the portafilter against the grinder or adjacent equipment, and this practice teaches against and away from placing a conventional scale at or near the grinder. Conventional scales' load cells are very prone to damage from impact and shock, and the barista's tapping on a conventional scale would act like a heavy weight being suddenly and repeatedly placed on the scale, and that shock would cause damage to the load cell and relatively quickly make the load cell inaccurate or inoperable. Therefore, associating a scale with a grinder is problematic and, to date, Applicant is unaware of any scale system near a grinder that is efficient, durable, and accurate.